Automatic car-brake



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. R. WOOD, Sr. AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

(No Model.)

ATTORNEYS.

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. R. WOOD, Sr.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

No. 395,104. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

llnirn Stains arnnr rricn.

WILLARD R. WOOD, SR, ()F IIEDGESX'ILLE, NEYV YORK.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPIEGIFXGA'EION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,104, dated December .25, 1888.

Application filed January 21, 1888. Serial No. 261,475. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD R. W001), S12, ot' Hedgesville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and 1 Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a car 3 provided with the improvement. Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional side elevation of the same on the line :r .r of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alike view of the same on the line y y of Fig. 1. Figs is a transverse sectional elevation of the improvement on the line 5 z of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of parts of the improvement on the line w of Fig. 4.

The car A, of any approved construction, is provided with the usual axles, B, B, B and B carrying the wheels C in the usual manner. On the axle Bis secured a pinion, D, adapted to be engaged by a segmental gearwheel, E, fastened on a shaft, F, mounted to rotate in yielding bearings G, held to slide vertically in the slotted standards H, through the lower parts of which passes the axle B, the

upper parts being provided with cross-plate,

H, held in place by a rod, H secured to the car A. The bearings G are held in their uppermost position by springs I, held in the standards H and exerting an upward pressure against the said bearings G. The bearings G are united at their upper ends by a cross-pin, J, on which operates a double wedge, K,-provided with the inclines K and K extending in opposite directions and adapted to operate 011 the top of said pin J. The double wedge K rests with its upper edge under the top plate, H, of the standard H, and the ends of the said double wedge K are connected with the brake-rods l and 11, extending in opposite directions to the front and rear ends of the car, and are connected in the usual manner with the brake-staffs oi the car, so that when the latter are operated said double wedge K is moved forward or backward.

()n the shaft F, carrying the segmental gearwheel E, is secured a sprocket-wheel, N, over which passes a sprocket-chain, 0, also passing over a sprocket-wheel, l, secured on a shaft, Q, mounted to rotate in suitable bearings formed on the under side of the car A. On the shaft Q is fastened. a drum, R, on which are adapted to be wound the chains Sand S, extending in opposite directions and. connected with the springs T and T, respectively, which are connected with the chains U and l7, respectively, extending to the brakebeanis V and X, operating in the usual inanncr on the car-wheels C of the axles B and B The brake-beams V are connected with a second set of brake-beams, V, by means of the links 3, and the said second set of brakebeainsff, operate 011 the wheels C of the axles B and 13 whenever the beams V are set in motion and act 011 the wheels of the axles B and B so that the brakes are all applied simultaneously.

The end teeth, E and E of the segmental gear-wheel E are fulcruined on the latter and connected with each other at their inner ends by a spring, (Plainly shown in Fig. The said pivoted teeth are for the purpose of preventing a jar when the pinion-wheel comes to the last tooth on the segmental wheel, and to make a smooth surface for it to pass over in reaching the place on the segmental wheel where it holds the brake on the wheels.

The operation is as follows: hen the car is running, the gear'wheel D is disengaged from the segmental gear-wheel E, as the lat ter is held in an uppermost position by the The pin J of the latter rests between the inclines K and K of the double wedge K, and

when the operator now desires to apply the brakes he pulls on the brake-rod L or L, so f that the respective incline K or K acts on the top of the pin J whereby the latter with the bearings G is pressed downward, so that the segmental gear-wheel E is thrown in mesh with the gear-wheel D. The rotary motion of the latter on the forward movement of the car imparts a rotary motion to the segmental gear-wheel E and its shaft F, and the latter, by the sprocket-wheel N, the sprocket-chain O, and the sprocket-wheel P, imparts a rotary motion to the shaft Q, so that the chains S and S are wound upon the drum R and the springs T and T are compressed. At the same time that the latter takes place a pressure is exerted against the brake-beams V by the said compressed springs T and T and the chains U and U, so that all the brakebeams V and V are acted on simultaneously and thrown in contact with the car-wheels 0, thus breaking them. When the gear-wheel D has imparted one-quarter of a rex olution to the segment 1 gear-wheel E, it comes in contact with the pivoted outer toot-h, E or E regear-wheel secured to one of the axles of the speetively, thus preventing a further rotary motion of the said wheel E, and thereby holding the brakes applied. It will be seen that the teeth of the gear-wheel D press the pivoted teeth E or E against the next following fixed tooth of the segmental gear-wheel E, so that the return movement of the segmental. gear-wheel E is prevented.

\Vhen the operator desires to release the brakes, he pulls the brake-rod L or L in an opposite direction, so that the respective incline K or K disengages the pin J and the springs I force the bearings G upward, and thereby throw the segmental gear-wheel E out of contact with the gear-wheel D. The compressed springs T now exert their press ure and unwind the chains S and S from the drum R by rotating the latter, and at the same time release the brakes. The rotary motion of the drum R, caused by the pressure of the springs T T, as above mentioned, rotates the shaft F in an opposite direction, so that the segmental gear-wheel E is given a quarter of a turn until it resumes its orignal position, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus it will be seen. that it is only necessary in order to apply the brakes or to release them to impart a sliding motion to the brake-rod L or L, so that the double wedge K acts with its inclines K and K on the pin J of the bearing G, whereby the segmental gear-wheel. E is moved in or out of contact with the gear-wheel I), secured on one of the axles of the car.

Instead of using the gearwheels D and E, as shown, I may use friction-wheels for accomplishing the same result. Instead of corn necting the rods L and L with the brakestaffs of each individual car, I may connect the rods L and L with the corresponding rods L. or L of the next "following car and the brake-rod of the car next to the locomotive with the cab of the latter, so that the engineer can control and operate all the brakes on the train whenever he desires.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a car-brake, the combination, with a gear-wheel secured to one of the axles of a car-truck, of a segmental gear-wheel adapted to engage the said gear-wheel on the axle, yielding bearings carrying the said segmental gear-wheel, and a double wedge engaging the said yielding bearings and operated from the brake-staffs so as to move the said segmental gear-wheel in or out of mesh with the said wheel on the axle, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car-brake, the combination with a ear-truck, of a segmental gear-wheel adapted to engage the said gear-wheel on the axle, a sprocket-wheel connected and rotating with the said segmental gear wheel, a second sprocket-wheel connected by a chain with the said first-named sprocket-wheel, a shaft carrying the said second sprocket-wh eel and provided with a drum, chains adapted to be wound on the said drum, and springs connected with the said chains and also connected with the brake mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a car-brake, the combination, with a double wedge operated by the brake-staff, of a bearing having a pin on which. said double wedge acts, springs pressing against the said bearing for holding it in its uppermost position, a shaft mounted to rotate in the said bearings and connected with the brake mechanism, and a segmental gear-wheel held on the said shaft and adapted to be thrown in mesh with the gear-wheel on one of the axles of the car-tru ck, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a car-brake, the combination, with a segmental gear-wheel provided at its ends with pivoted teeth and a spring connected with the said pivoted teeth, of yielding bearings carrying the said segmental gear-wheel and provided with a pin, a double wedge acting on the pin of the said bearings, and a gear-wheel secured to one of the axles of the car-truck and adapted to be engaged by the said segmental gear-wheel, substantially as shown and described.

IVILLARD R. WOOD, SR.

Vitnesses:

.T. M. ALDERMAN, JOHN W. FOWLER. 

